Round 1 Recap: 2012 Crowne Plaza Invitational

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The Crown Plaza Invitational is the longest running non major PGA Tour Event. What that really means is it is the longest running non major PGA Tour Tournament that has been held at the same course, the name has changed but the location has remained the same. The Par 70 Country Club currently playing 7204 yards is bordered by the Trinity River (which I just saw on River Monsters for giant alligator gar fish) and has been home to the US Open in 41, and the Tournament Players Championship in 75. Colonial CC has been a staple for the PGA Tour, and has been the setting for several victories by golf’s elite. The most noteworthy winner of the tournament is the late Ben Hogan; the Fort Worth resident won five times, which earned the course the nickname “Hogan’s Alley.”

Who is atop the leader board this week… Ill give you three guesses… was one of your guesses Jason Dufner. Well it should have been, no one has had a hotter start since Tiger Woods in 2009 with the most leads/co-leads in the first three rounds of play. But besides the current 2012 MVP, we have Zach Johnson (who is leading the tournament right now at -6 under par) with Dufner and four others at -5 under, Chris DiMarco and Tommy 2Gloves Gainy, along with Sergio rounding out the top headliners currently in the top 6. All within 2 shots of the current leader.

Colonial Country Club is one of those stops on the PGA Tour that you get to watch on TV and remember which holes are coming up, what the green looks like or the clubhouse. Even though I have never been to Fort Worth (and really only been to Texas one time) I still feel like I have walked the course at Colonial. I believe the PGA Tour should spread the love when it comes to where they play, but sometimes it is nice to throw in a regular course that we all know and love. Makes for better TV that way.